Panel in Wyoming Offers Package of School Reforms

The Wyoming Blue Ribbon Committee on Quality Education this month
recommended a school-reform package that includes increased high-school
graduation requirements, higher salaries and professional standards for
teachers, and more efficient use of classroom time.

"As this committee studied reports, sifted through evidence, and
heard from 125 citizens across the state, it became clear that
recommendations for change were in order," members of the panel said in
its report, "Quality Education in the Equality State."

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Lynn Simons established
the 29-member panel last year to examine the condition of public
education in Wyoming. The committee includes educators, parents, public
officials, and representatives of the state's business community.

Graduation Requirements

The panel recommended that requirements for high-school graduation
include four years of language arts, two years of mathematics, three
years of social studies, and two years of science. Graduation
requirements in the state currently vary from district to district.

"These requirements should consist of a core for all students," said
the report. "And as core requirements are met, alternatives should be
available that broaden the students' perspectives and prepare them for
later life."

For college-bound students, the committee suggested even stricter
requirements, calling for an additional year of mathematics, at least
one laboratory-science course, and two years of foreign-language
study.

The committee also recognized vocational education as "an integral
part" of the educational system but suggested that training be shifted
from preparing students for an industrial society to preparing them for
a technological society.

In recommending more rigorous graduation requirements, the panel
called on the state legislature to adopt a law authorizing the state
education department to ensure that the recommended graduation
requirements are met by all school districts.

Attracting Teachers

The superintendent's committee suggested that funding for elementary
and secondary education be increased to levels that would allow
teachers' salaries to compete with those of professionals in private
industry. But it also called for "verifiable criteria for determining
[teacher] competencies."

Such criteria, the committee proposed, should include a requirement
that all prospective teachers be graduates of teacher-training programs
approved by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
and that a temporary, one-year teaching certificate be issued for new
teachers. The certificate would be renewed only if a thorough
evaluation of the teacher's performance during the first year proved
satisfactory.

Use of Time

Another primary concern of the panel was the need to make better use
of the school day.

"To deal with this issue," committee members said in the report, "we
recommend that attention be given to reducing absenteeism, time lost to
out-of-school work, time off of school tasks, and to regular class time
devoted to extracurricular activities."

School districts should stress time-management techniques in each
school building to ensure that time spent at school is as productive as
possible, the report states.

Limiting Student Employment

The committee recommended limiting student employment to a maximum
of 20 hours per week. "Legislation may be necessary toel30llimit child
labor," the report added.

Superintendent Simons said that the education department will seek
legislative support for those recommendations that require additional
funds or new laws, and that her agency will continue its current
efforts at educational reform.

The department has not arrived at a final estimate of how much
additional money would be required to put the committee's proposals
into effect, education officials said last week. But according to Ms.
Simons, "Many of the recommendations are, in fact, projects that the
department has already undertaken and we will continue with renewed
vigor our school improvements under way."

Web Only

Notice: We recently upgraded our comments. (Learn more here.) If you are logged in as a subscriber or registered user and already have a Display Name on edweek.org, you can post comments. If you do not already have a Display Name, please create one here.

Ground Rules for Posting
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.